The series finale of How I Met Your Mother recently aired and millennials everywhere are grieving in response to the final episode. After 200 and something stories—nine years of suiting up, slap bets, fights, tears, and laughs—the epic tale has come to an end.
Most were sad to see the legend-(wait for it)-dary run come to an end. But with the final wrap-up comes reflection, and loyal viewers realize this incredible story taught us a lot more than just how Ted Mosby met the mother.
In true HIMYM flashback fashion, here is my list of the top 10 takeaways How I Met Your Mother taught us about life:
1. Nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m.
Pizza may be the one exception to this rule. I’ve found pretty much everything else that happens after 2 in the morning falls under this category.
2. New, original pick up lines. “Haaaaaaave you met Ted?” Plus, the rumor on the street is that this thing called the naked man works two out of three times…
3. Being on the HookKeeping someone around with no intention of committing. Basically you are kept around just in case the first choice doesn’t work out. Do not be the fish or the fisher-person in this situation.
4. Woo-GirlsIf you see them out in their natural habitat, back away slowly. These wild girls yell about every (and I mean every) minuscule thing that happens. A friend walks through the door… yelling. Their favorite song comes on, more yelling. They got a shirt for a discounted price? Even more yelling. Loud, proud and relentless celebrators. Steer clear of this type and, most importantly, don’t be one of them.
5. Re-visiting exes usually doesn’t end well.They’re your ex for a reason. You don’t need to reread a chapter in your book of life, you already know how it ends. Sure, people sometimes deserve second chances and sometimes the outcome is different. But most of the time, and in both Robin and Ted’s case, they ended up being reminded of why things never worked out in the first place.
6. The most important people in your life are the ones you can picture sitting on a porch with. Life can throw a lot at you, and sometimes it all seems to happen at once. So find the people in your life that are consistently there for you through the good and bad, and keep them close. Your friends that you can see yourself growing old with are the ones you don’t want to let go.
7. Sometimes, it is necessary to wait for things.With a show that was as legend-(wait for it)-dary as this one, it is no big shock that the mystery pulled us in from day one. Timing is everything in life. Just like the conclusion to the show was worth the wait, many things in life are worth being patient for as well. Sometimes what you thought was supposed to work out doesn’t because something better lies ahead.
8. Sometimes your friends know you better than you know yourself.You know those people you can see on the porch in 25 years? Listen to them. Sometimes people find themselves blinded by a couple good things that keep them from seeing all the glaring negatives. Friends are oftentimes the ones who can see the big picture and always have your best interest at heart.
9. Letting go is necessary at times. Some things have an expiration date.Don’t chase after what doesn’t work. Let the universe take over. Things happen for a reason. Ok, so these things are so cliché—but they do make a good point. There’s no reason to keep someone or something in your life that isn’t supposed to be there… stop ignoring the obvious and just let it go. You can’t move forward if you’re still stuck on what’s behind you.
10. Lastly, it may take a long, long time (maybe nine years?) to figure out who you’re going to end up with.But it’s worth the wait. Ted proves that we should hold out, and wait for that one person that loves all our quirks, instead of settling for someone who just tolerates them. So while you’re waiting, enjoy the ride. Stop waiting for the right person to come into your life, and be the right person to walk into someone else’s life. There’s no need to rush… if something is meant to be, it will happen with the right person and for the best reason.